Blower/vacuum

ABSTRACT

A blower including a base having a housing, a handle extending from the housing, a power source positioned within the housing, the blower including: a drive shaft extending forwardly from the power source, wherein the drive shaft is rotatable by the power source; a fan member operatively connected to the drive shaft; a flywheel extending rearwardly from the power source, the flywheel being positioned adjacent to a rear of the housing; and at least one rear vent formed into the rear of the housing adjacent to the flywheel, wherein rotation of the flywheel draws ambient air into the housing through the at least one rear vent, and rotation of the flywheel generates a cooling air flow that directs the ambient air across the power source to cool the power source during operation thereof.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation application and claimspriority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/962,687 filed Dec. 8,2015, which claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/089,572 filed Dec. 9, 2014, both of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a handheld yard maintenance tool,and more particularly, to a portable combined blower and vacuum.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Combined blower/vacuums are commonly used in lawn care and maintenance.These combined blower/vacuums allow an operator to switch operationsbetween a blower for blowing leaves, cut grass, or other debris and avacuum which can suck up the leaves, cut grass, or other debris. Typicalblower/vacuums usually require a single component attachable to a basehaving a power source located therewithin. One method allows an operatorto switch between blowing and vacuuming functions by detaching thecomponent(s) associated with one operation and affixing the componentsassociated with the other. The design of the components makes the methodfor switching between functions very cumbersome and difficult for theoperator. Another method incorporates both the blower nozzle and vacuumtube combined in a single tool. This combined component is oftencumbersome and weighty which causes an operator to tire more easily. Thecombined component also requires the operator to carry the additionalinactive component during operation of the other.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a blower is provided. The blowerincludes a base having a housing, a handle extending from the housing,and a power source positioned within the housing. The blower furtherincludes a drive shaft extending forwardly from the power source,wherein the drive shaft is rotatable by the power source. A fan memberis operatively connected to the drive shaft. A flywheel extendsrearwardly from the power source, and the flywheel is positionedadjacent to a rear of the housing. At least one rear vent formed intothe rear of the housing adjacent to the flywheel. Rotation of saidflywheel draws ambient air into said housing through said at least onerear vent, and rotation of the flywheel generates a cooling air flowthat directs the ambient air across the power source to cool the powersource during operation thereof.

In another aspect of the present invention, a blower is provided. Theblower includes a base having a housing, a handle extending from thehousing, and a power source positioned within the housing. The blowerfurther includes a drive shaft extending forwardly from the powersource, wherein the power source selectively rotates the drive shaft. Afan member operatively is connected to the drive shaft. A starterassembly is positioned adjacent to a rear of the housing. A flywheelextends rearwardly from the power source, and the flywheel is positionedbetween the power source and the starter assembly. At least one rearvent is formed into the rear of the housing. Rotation of the flywheeldraws ambient air into the housing through the at least one rear vent,and rotation of the flywheel generates a cooling air flow that directsthe ambient air across the power source to cool the power source duringoperation thereof.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a blower is provided. Theblower includes a base having a handle, a housing, and power sourcepositioned within the housing, the power source having a drive shaftextending forwardly therefrom, wherein the power source selectivelyrotates the drive shaft. A starter assembly is positioned adjacent to arear of the housing. A flywheel is positioned between the starterassembly and the power source. A fan member has a first fan formed onone side thereof and a second fan formed on an opposing side thereof,and the fan member is rotatably driven by the drive shaft. A rear ventis formed into a rear of the housing, wherein rotation of the flywheeldraws ambient air into the housing through the rear vent. A plurality ofside vents are formed into the housing and positioned between the powersource and the fan member. Rotation of the fan member draws ambient airinto the housing through the plurality of side vents, and rotation ofthe flywheel draws ambient air into the housing through the at least onerear vent. Rotation of the flywheel generates a cooling air flow thatdirects the ambient air across the power source to cool the power sourceduring operation thereof. The cooling air flow from the flywheel mixeswith the ambient air entering through the side vents to increase avelocity of air flow generated by the fan member.

Advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following description of the embodiments ofthe invention which have been shown and described by way ofillustration. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other anddifferent embodiments, and its details are capable of modification invarious respects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of the present invention, and their advantages,are illustrated specifically in embodiments of the invention now to bedescribed, by way of example, with reference to the accompanyingdiagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a blower/vacuum in ablower configuration;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a blower/vacuum ina vacuum configuration;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a blower/vacuum with both a blowerassembly and a vacuum assembly;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustrating the steps for switching between ablower configuration and a vacuum configuration;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the base of a blower/vacuum;

FIG. 6 is an embodiment of a fan member;

FIG. 7 is an embodiment of a diffuser;

FIG. 8 is an embodiment of a vacuum assembly;

FIG. 9 is an embodiment of a dedicated blower;

FIG. 10 is an embodiment of a dedicated vacuum;

FIG. 11A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fan member with afirst fan;

FIG. 11B is a front view of the fan member shown in FIG. 11A; and

FIG. 11C is a side view of the fan member shown in FIG. 11A.

It should be noted that all the drawings are diagrammatic and not drawnto scale. Relative dimensions and proportions of parts of these figureshave been shown exaggerated or reduced in size for the sake of clarityand convenience in the drawings. The same reference numbers aregenerally used to refer to corresponding or similar features in thedifferent embodiments. Accordingly, the drawing(s) and description areto be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, an exemplary embodiment of a combination of ablower and a vacuum, or a blower/vacuum 10, for use in lawn care andmaintenance. The blower/vacuum 10 is configured to be used as both ablower 10 a (FIG. 1) in a blower operation and configuration to blowleaves or other debris when in one configuration and a vacuum 10 b (FIG.2) in a vacuum operation and configuration for collecting and mulchingleaves, grass, and other yard debris. The blower/vacuum 10 is switchableby an operator between the blower configuration 10 a and the vacuumconfiguration 10 b. The blower 10 a and vacuum 10 b utilize the samebase 12, and the removably attachable end that is connected to the base12 determines the configuration and operation of the blower/vacuum 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, an exemplary embodiment of the base 12 includes ahousing 14, a graspable handle 16, a user-controlled trigger 18, astarter assembly 20, a power source 22 positioned within the housing 14,a shield 24, and an attachment shell 30. Although the embodiment shownin FIGS. 1-3 illustrates the power source 22 as an internal combustionengine having starter assembly 20, it should be understood by one havingordinary skill in the art that the power source may also be an enginehaving a push-button start, an electric motor powered by a rechargeablebattery, a replaceable battery, an A/C-powered electric motor, or anyother power source capable of providing sufficient power to operate thehandheld tool. In an embodiment, the housing 14 and handle 16 areintegrally formed or molded as a single piece. In another embodiment,the housing 14 and handle 16 are formed separately and attached to eachother by way of a mechanical fastener or the like. In an embodiment, thehandle 16 is configured to be fixedly positioned relative to the housing14. In another embodiment, the handle 16 is movable relative to thehousing 14 to allow the operator to ergonomically position the handle 16relative to the housing 14 to maximize comfort while carrying theblower/vacuum 10. The user-controlled trigger 18 is operativelyconnected to the handle 16 and controls the speed of the blower/vacuum10.

The starter assembly 20 is operatively connected to the side of thehousing 16, as shown in FIG. 1. It should be understood by one havingordinary skill in the art that the starter assembly 20 can extend fromeither side of the housing or the rear of the housing, depending uponthe orientation and type of the power source 22. In the illustratedexemplary embodiment, the starter assembly 20 is a pull-start having ahandle attached to a wound rope (not shown). It should be understood byone having ordinary skill in the art that the starter assembly 20 can beformed as a different mechanical operable system for starting the powersource (such as a crank, or the like) or an electrical system capable ofstarting the power source (such as a push-button starter, or the like).

The housing 14 is configured to protect the power source 22 (FIG. 5), orother power source, located therewithin. The housing 14 can be formed ofa plurality of pieces, which allows the power source 22 to beoperatively connected to the housing 14 and be disposed therein when thehousing 14 is assembled.

In an embodiment, the shield 24 extends forwardly from the housing 14,wherein the shield 24 is configured to protect the drive shaft 26 (FIG.5) that extends from the power source 22 to the fan member 28, as shownin FIGS. 1-3. The shield 24 can be formed separately from the housing 14and attached thereto, or the shield 24 can be integrally formed with aportion of the housing 14. In an embodiment, the shield 24 is a singlemember. In another embodiment, the shield 24 is formed of multiplepieces. At least a portion of the shield 24 is positioned within theattachment shell 30.

In an embodiment, the attachment shell 30 of the base 12 is formed as agenerally conical shape that extends from the housing 14 and surroundsat least a portion of the shield 24, as shown in FIGS. 1-3. Theattachment shell 30 is configured to provide a structure to which theblower assembly 32 and the vacuum assembly 34 are removably andselectively attachable. In an embodiment, the attachment shell 30 isformed of a clear, or otherwise transparent material. For example, theattachment shell 30 is formed of clear polycarbonate, plastic, or anyother materials providing sufficient strength and rigidity to withstandthe pressure increases and decreases within the attachment shell 30 aswell as withstand repeated contact with debris that is suctioned when inthe vacuum configuration 10 b while also being transparent to allow anoperator the ability to view into the attachment shell 30 to determineif there is a blockage or any other problem. It should be understood byone having ordinary skill in the art that the attachment shell 30 mayalso be formed of a non-clear or a non-transparent material. Theattachment shell 30 surrounds at least a portion of the fan member 28.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 5-6, the mixed-flowfan member 28 is operatively connected to the base 12 and is powered bythe power source 22 by way of a drive shaft 26. The drive shaft 26 isconfigured to rotate in the same direction during both the blowerconfiguration as well as the vacuum configuration, and the fan member 28is configured to provide positive-pressure air flow when the blowerassembly 32 is attached to the attachment shell 30 and areduced-pressure air flow when the vacuum assembly 34 is attached to theattachment shell 30.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the mixed-flow fan member 28 isformed as a one-piece member, as shown in FIG. 6, of molded plastic butcan be formed of any material. In an embodiment, the fan member 28includes a rear end 36, a forward end 38, central hub 40, a plate 42extending radially from the central hub 40, a first fan 44 having aplurality of first fan blades 46 extending radially from the central hub40, and a second fan 48 having a plurality of second fan blades 50extending radially from the central hub 40. In another embodiment, thefan member 28 is includes a first fan 44 formed separately from thesecond fan 48, wherein the first and second fans 44, 48 are attached toeach other to form the fan member 28. In some embodiments, the fanmember 28 does not include the plate 42 separating the first and secondfans 44, 48. When assembled, the rear end 36 of the fan member 28 isdirected toward the power source 22 and the longitudinal direction ofthe fan member 28 is aligned with the drive shaft 26. The hub 40 is acylindrical member aligned axially with the drive shaft 26, wherein thedrive shaft 26 is received within the hub 40 to allow the fan member 28to be releasably attached or otherwise connected to the drive shaft 26.The drive shaft 26 is configured to drive, or rotate, the fan member 28about the axis formed by the draft shaft 26. The fan member 28 is formedas a single component in which each of the portions of the fan member 28are integrally formed together. In an embodiment, the fan member 28 isformed of molded plastic or other resilient material that may includealuminum, titanium, high density polyethylene (HDPE), or any otherresilient material.

Fans used for generating air flow are typically formed as an axial fanor a centrifugal fan. Axial fans are configured to have a plurality offan blades extending substantially radially from a hub, wherein theradial fan blades generate air flow that is aligned, or parallel to thedrive shaft to which the fan is attached. In other words, the axial fanpushes the air along from upstream to downstream along a linear-likepathway. The fan blades of the axial fan are typically arranged in acantilever arrangement such that the base of the blade is attached to ahub and the tips of the blade are unconstrained. Axial fans are oftenused in wind turbines, box/home fans, fume extraction, winnowing, andthe like. Centrifugal fans are configured to have a plurality of fanblades attached to the outer circumferential surface of a central hub,wherein the fan blades extend radially outward from the hub. Upstreamair is drawn toward the central hub of the centrifugal fan, wherein thefan blades are aligned and oriented to push the air radially outward ina centrifugal manner. The blades of the centrifugal fan are typicallypositioned against a plate (or between a pair of parallel plates) thatlikewise extends from the central hub, wherein the plate prevents axialmovement of the air flow, thereby generally confining the air flow toradial flow. Centrifugal fans are often used in handheld lawn careblowers, HVAC systems, and the like where the desired air flow isradially outward from the fan. The fan member 28 used in theblower/vacuum incorporates aspects of both axial and centrifugal fans toprovide a mixed-flow fan, wherein the generated air flow is both radialand axial.

As shown in the exemplary embodiment of the fan member 28 in FIG. 6, theplate 42 is formed as a substantially circular and planar member thatextends radially from the outer circumference of the central hub 40,wherein the plate 42 is positioned about midway between the rear end 36and the forward end 38 of the fan member 28. The plate 42 is configuredto separate the first fan 44 from the second fan 48, thereby providingtwo distinct operations of the fan member 28—one for blowing and theother for vacuuming, as will be explained below. In an embodiment, thefirst and second fan blades 46, 50 have substantially the same widthrelative to the longitudinal axis of the fan member 28 between the rearand forward ends 36, 38 thereof. In other embodiments, the plate 42 ispositioned longitudinally closer to either the rear end 36 or theforward end 38 of the fan member 28, thereby allowing either the firstor second fan blades 46, 50 to have a larger width than the other set offan blades.

In the exemplary embodiment of the fan member 28 shown in FIG. 6, thefirst fan 44 is configured as an axial fan in which the first fan blades46 are operatively connected to the central hub 40, extending radiallyoutward beyond the circumferential outer edge of the plate 42 in acantilevered manner. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the firstfan blades 46 are angled or curved relative to the central hub 40. Thefirst fan blades 46 are both angled along the circumference of the hub40 but also curved between the base (intersecting with the hub 40) andthe tip (radially outward edge) of each blade. In this embodiment, thebase of each of the first fan blades 46 is angled such that the base isradially closer to the drive shaft 26 near the rear end 36 and radiallyfurther away from the drive shaft 26 near the plate 42. The outercircumferential edge of the first fan blades 46 is also formed at anangle between the plate 42 and the rear end 36. In a further embodiment,the base of each of the first fan blades 46 is aligned with thelongitudinal axis A, and the first fan blades 46 extend in asubstantially planar manner between the base and tip of each blade. Itshould be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that thefirst fan blades 46 can be planar, curved, a combination thereof, orhave any shape sufficient to provide increased air flow resulting fromthe rotation of the fan member 28, wherein the air flow generated by thefirst fan blades is substantially parallel to the drive shaft 26 (FIG.5). In an embodiment, the first fan blades 46 extend from afrustoconical surface operatively connected to the central hub 40,wherein the radial distance between the frustoconical surface and thecentral hub 40 increases as it extends away from the rear end 36 towardthe plate 42.

In the exemplary embodiment of the fan member 28 illustrated in FIG. 6,the second fan 48 is formed as a centrifugal fan. The second fan 48 isformed of a plurality of second fan blades 50 that are positionedbetween the plate 42 and the forward end 38. The second fan blades 50extend from the central hub 40 in a substantially planar manner, whereinthe blade tip of each of the second fan blades 50 is aligned with thelongitudinal axis A and substantially aligned with the outercircumference of the plate 42, but it should be understood by one havingordinary skill in the art that tips of the second fan blades 50 mayextend beyond the outer circumferential edge of the plate 42. In anotherembodiment, the second fan blades 50 are curved, similar to the curvedfirst fan blades 46 described above. In the illustrated embodiment, thefirst fan blades 46 extend radially outward a greater distance than thesecond fan blades 50.

The first fan 44 and the second fan 48 of the fan member 28 areconfigured to perform separate operations, depending upon theconfiguration of the blower/vacuum 10 and the mode of the fan member 28.For example, when the blower assembly 32 is attached to the base 12, theblower/vacuum 10 is in the blower configuration 10 a (FIG. 1). In theblower configuration 10 a, the fan member 28 is in the blower mode inwhich the first fan 44 is active and the second fan 46 is inactive butcontinues to rotate in conjunction with the first fan 44. Accordingly,in the blower mode and configuration 10 a, the first fan 44 isconfigured to provide positive-pressure air flow to cause air to beblown axially through the blower assembly 32.

When the vacuum assembly 34 is attached to the base 12, theblower/vacuum 10 is in the vacuum configuration 10 b (FIG. 2). In thevacuum configuration 10 b, the fan member 28 is in the vacuum mode inwhich the second fan 46 is active and the first fan 44 is inactive butcontinues to rotate in conjunction with the second fan 46. Accordingly,in the vacuum mode and configuration 10 b, the second fan 48 isconfigured to provide negative-pressure air flow to cause air to bedrawn toward the base 12 into and through the vacuum assembly 34 due tothe centrifugal air flow from the second fan 46. In both the blower andvacuum modes and configurations 10 a, 10 b, the fan member 28 isconfigured to blow air through an outlet port. In the blowerconfiguration 10 a, the air flow from the fan member 28 exits throughthe blower tube 62 which acts as the outlet port, as explained below; inthe vacuum configuration 10 b, the air flow from the fan member 28 exitsthrough the outlet 102 of the fan housing 104 which acts as the outletport, as explained below. The switchability between the blower andvacuum configurations 10 a, 10 b, as illustrated in FIG. 4, causes eachof the first and second fans 44, 48 to be utilized separately fordifferent configurations of the blower/vacuum 10.

As shown in FIG. 3, an embodiment of the blower assembly 32 includes adiffuser 60, a blower housing 62, a blower tube 64, and an optionalextension tube 66. The blower assembly 32 is releasably attachable tothe base 12 to generate the blower configuration 10 a (FIG. 1). In anembodiment, the diffuser 60 includes an elongated cone 70 having an openend 72, a platform 74 surrounding and extending radially outward fromthe open end 72, and a plurality of vanes 76 extending from the platform74 adjacent to the outer circumferential surface of the cone 70, asillustrated in FIG. 7. The cone 70 is an elongated, substantially hollowmember, wherein the open end 72 is positioned upstream, or otherwisedirected toward the base 12. The tip of the cone 70 extends away fromthe open end 72 and the base 12, wherein the diameter of the cone 70narrows as the cone 70 extends away from the open end 72. The open end72 forms a substantially circular opening to the inside of the cone 70.The open end 72 is configured to receive and completely surround thesecond fan 48 of the fan member 28.

The platform 74 is formed of an annular ring and a plurality of ribs,wherein the annular ring is operatively connected to the outer surfaceof the cone 70 by way of the plurality of ribs. The ribs form openpathways between the annular ring and the cone 70 to allow air to flowfrom the fan member 28 and past the diffuser 60 between the annular ringof the platform 74 and the cone 70, as shown in FIG. 7. The air flowthrough the platform 74 between the annular ring and the cone 70 isgenerated by the first fan 44 of the fan member 28. In an embodiment,the vanes 76 are extensions of the ribs of the platform 74 such that thevanes 76 and the ribs are aligned to provide a continuous wall orbarrier for directing the air flow over the outer surface of the cone70. In another embodiment, the vanes 76 are spaced apart from the ribsof the platform 74 in order to form separate barriers for directing theair flow over the outer surface of the cone 70 separate from the ribsthat provide pathways through which air can pass through the platform74. The vanes 76 can be formed as planar members or curved members fordirecting the flow of air past the outer surface of the cone 70, but itshould be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that theoverall shape, configuration, and placement of the vanes 76 is optimizedto maximize performance of the blower/vacuum 10 when in the blowerconfiguration 10 a.

In an embodiment, the blower housing 62 of the blower assembly 32 isattachable to the attachment shell 30 of the base 12 to operativelyconnect the blower assembly 32 to the base 12, as shown in FIGS. 3-5.The blower housing 62 is a clear, or otherwise substantiallytransparent, member configured to receive and surround the diffuser 60.The blower housing 62 provides a flow path with a narrowing diameter toaide in increasing the velocity of the air as it flows over the diffuser60. The blower housing 62 includes a ridge 80 formed on the innersurface thereof, wherein the diffuser 60 is configured to abut the ridge80 when the blower housing 62 is attached to the attachment shell 30.The ridge 80 provides positive positioning of the diffuser 60 relativeto the fan member 28 when the blower assembly 32 is attached to the base12.

The blower housing 62 is attachable to the attachment shell 30 by way ofat least one attachment mechanism 82. FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplaryembodiment of a mechanical attachment mechanism 82, which includes ananchor 84 integrally formed with both the blower housing 62 and theattachment shell 30. The anchor 84 is formed generally as a hook thatextends away from the opposing member to which it is being attached. Theattachment mechanism 82 also includes a toggle 86, which is secured toone of the anchors 84 and is configured to releasably engage the anchor84 on the opposing member. For example, in an embodiment, the toggle 86is secured to the anchor 84 of the blower housing 62 by way of a pinthat provides an axis of rotation for the toggle 86, and the toggle 86is configured to releasably engage the anchor 84 on the attachment shell30. In another embodiment, the toggle 86 is secured to the anchor 84 ofthe attachment shell 30 with the pin and is configured to releasablyengage the anchor 84 of the blower housing 62.

Because only one anchor-toggle-anchor attachment mechanism 82 would beinsufficient to completely secure the blower housing 62 to theattachment shell 32, one embodiment of the attachment shell 32 andblower housing 62 may include two, three, or more anchor-toggle-anchorattachment mechanisms 82 positioned about the periphery to attach thesemembers together. In another embodiment, an anchor-toggle-anchorattachment mechanism 82 may be used in conjunction with a hook-and-loopattachment mechanism 82, wherein the hook-and-loop (not shown) includesa loop extending from the attachment shell 32 and a hook extending fromthe blower housing 62 such that the hook is received in the loop to forma hinge or rotatable connection between the blower housing 62 and theattachment shell 32 which allows the blower housing 62 to be positivelysecured and rotatable with the hook-and-loop attachment mechanism whilethe anchor-toggle-anchor attachment mechanism is secured at the oppositeedge between the members.

In a further embodiment, another attachment mechanism 82 for securingthe blower housing 62 to the attachment shell 30 is a threadedengagement (not shown) in which both the blower housing 62 and theattachment shell 30 include threads which are configured to mesh withthe threads of the opposing member which allow the blower housing 62 tobe twisted relative to the attachment shell 30 such that the threadsmesh and provide a positive releasable engagement therebetween. In yetanother embodiment, the attachment mechanism(s) 82 between the blowerhousing 62 and the attachment shell 30 include a plurality of bolts (notshown) that allow the blower housing 62 to be releasably attachable tothe attachment shell 30. While these exemplary embodiments of attachmentmechanisms 82 are mechanical, the attachment mechanisms 82 can also beformed as magnets that provide releasable engagement between the blowerhousing 62 and the attachment shell 30. It should be understood by onehaving ordinary skill in the art that any attachment mechanism 82, or aplurality of the same or different attachment mechanisms, can be used toprovide for releasable attachment between the blower housing 62 and theattachment shell 30.

In an embodiment, the blower tube 64 of the blower assembly 32 isreleasably attachable to the end of the blower housing 62 opposite theend attachable to the attachment shell 30, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and4-5. The blower tube 64 is an elongated tube having an inlet and anoutlet, wherein the diameter of the inlet is larger than the diameter ofthe outlet. This reduced diameter acts to increase the velocity of theair flow through the blower tube 64. In an embodiment, the blower tube64 is releasably securable to the blower housing 62 by way of at leastone attachment mechanism (not shown), such as a keyed locking mechanismor the like. In another embodiment, the blower tube 64 is releasablysecurable to the blower housing 62 by way of a friction fit.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the blower assembly 32 includesan extension tube 66 that is attachable to the blower tube 64. Theextension tube 66 is configured to extend the length of the blower tube64 to allow the operator to remain standing upright yet position the endof the blower assembly 32 as close to the ground or surface being blownwithout the need to bend over to achieve such positioning. The length ofthe extension tube 66 can vary depending upon the height of the operatoror the operation in which the blower configuration 10 a is being used.

When the blower/vacuum 10 is in the blower configuration 10 a, theblower assembly 32 is attached to the base 12 by way of at least oneattachment mechanism 82, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5. As the blowerhousing 62 is secured to the attachment shell 30, the diffuser 60 isabutting the ridge 80 formed on the inner surface of the blower housing62, and the diffuser 60 is positively positioned relative to the fanmember 28 such that the second fan 48 is inserted through the open end72 and located within the cone 70 of the diffuser 60. In this position,the platform 74 is either abutting the plate 42 of the fan member 28that separates the first and second fans 44, 48 or is positionedimmediately adjacent to the plate 42. In an embodiment, the diffuser 60contacts the plate 42 of the fan member 28. In another embodiment, thediffuser 60 is spaced very slightly apart from the plate of the fanmember 28. The positioning of the diffuser relative to the fan member28, wherein the second fan 48 is located within the cone 70 of thediffuser 70, leaves only the first fan blades 46 exposed to generate apositive-pressure air flow directed over the diffuser 60 whilesimultaneously deactivating the effect of the second fan 48 as any airmovement generated by the second fan 48 is contained within the cone 70of the diffuser 60. The diffuser 60 effectively “hides” the second fanblades 50 to allow only the first fan blades 46 to be active in theblower configuration 10 a, but the second fan 48 continues to rotatesimultaneously with the first fan 44.

In operation, the throttle 18 of the base 12 controls the outputrotational speed from the power source 22 that rotates the drive shaft26 which, in turn, rotates the fan member 28. As the first fan blades 46of the fan member 28 are exposed in the blower configuration 10 a,rotation of the first fan 44 generates a positive-pressure air flowdirected over the diffuser 69, through the blower housing 62, blowertube 64, and then through the optional extension tube 66, if present. Asthe rotational output of the power source 22 is increased in response tothe throttle 18, the velocity of the air flow through the blowerassembly 32 increases, and vice-versa with respect to the velocity ofthe air flow.

In the illustration of FIG. 4, the blower assembly 32 is removable fromthe base 12 and replaceable with the vacuum assembly 34, and vice-versa,to switch the blower/vacuum 10 from the blower configuration 10 a(FIG. 1) to the vacuum configuration (FIG. 2). Similar to the blowerassembly 32 is releasably attachable to the attachment shell 30 of thebase 12 using at least one attachment mechanism 82 for positivelysecuring the vacuum assembly 34. In an exemplary embodiment of a vacuumassembly 34 illustrated in FIGS. 2-3 and 8, the vacuum assembly 34includes a first vacuum shell 90 and a second vacuum shell 92 whichtogether form a vacuum housing 98, a vacuum tube 94, and an optionalcollection bag 96.

The first and second vacuum shells 90, 92 of the vacuum assembly 34 areformed as substantially mirror images of each other and are attachabletogether to form a vacuum housing 98, as shown in FIGS. 2-3 and 8. Thevacuum housing 98 includes an inlet 100, an outlet 102, a fan housing104, and an optional handle 106. In an embodiment, the first and secondvacuum shells 90, 92 include a plurality of bosses to allow the opposingshells to be connected together with nuts and bolt. In anotherembodiment, the first and second vacuum shells 90, 92 can be connectedtogether using any attachment mechanism that allows the shells to bereleasably attachable. In the illustrated embodiment, the vacuum housing98 is formed of separate pieces. In another embodiment, the vacuumhousing 98 is formed as a single integral member.

The fan housing 104 of the vacuum housing 98 is fluidly connected toboth the inlet 100 and the outlet 102, thereby providing a continuouspathway between the inlet 100 and outlet 102 and through the fan housing104, as shown in FIGS. 2-3 and 8. The fan housing 104 has a toroid-likeshape without the inner diameter surface, thus providing avertically-aligned forward wall 110, a rear wall 112 oriented parallelrelative to the forward wall 110, and an annular wall 114 extendingbetween the forward wall 110 and the rear wall 112. The forward wall 110includes an opening from which the inlet 100 extends in a forwarddirection. The rear wall 112 likewise includes a circular opening. Theoutlet 102 extends in a downward direction from the annular wall 114, ina substantially perpendicular manner relative to the inlet 100, from thefan housing 104. The toroidal fan housing 104 is configured to receive aportion of the fan member 28 through the opening in the rear wall 112when the vacuum housing 98 is operatively connected to the base 12.

The vacuum housing 98 is attachable to the base 12 in a similar manneras the blower housing 62, in particular, by way of at least oneattachment mechanism 82, described above. The same attachment mechanism82 should be used to attach the vacuum housing 98 to the base 12 as usedto attach the blower housing 62 to the base 12. For example, theillustrated exemplary embodiment utilizes at plurality ofanchor-toggle-anchor attachment mechanisms to attach the vacuum assembly24 to the attachment shell 30 of the base 12, but it should beunderstood by one having ordinary skill in the art that any otherattachment mechanism(s) can be used.

The vacuum tube 94 of the vacuum assembly 34 is attachable to the vacuumhousing 98 to provide an extension for the suction inlet 100 to belocated closer to the ground or other structure so as to reduce oreliminate the need for the operator to continually bend over in order touse the vacuum/blower 10 in the vacuum configuration 10 b. The vacuumtube 94 is an elongated tubular member which can be formed as a straighttube (FIG. 2) or a tube having at angled portion (FIG. 3). The vacuumtube 94 is configured to be attached to the inlet 100 that extendsforwardly from the fan housing 104. In an embodiment, the vacuum tube 94is attached to the inlet 100 by friction fit in which the inner diameterof the vacuum tube 94 is the same or just slight larger diameter thanthe outer diameter of the inlet 100 such that the vacuum tube 94 is slidover the inlet 100 for installation. In another embodiment, the vacuumtube 94 is attached to the inlet 100 by way of at least one attachmentmechanism, which can be either the same type or a different type thanused to attach the vacuum housing 98 to the base 12.

The vacuum housing 98 includes an optional handle 106 (included—FIG. 8;not included—FIG. 2), wherein the handle 106 extends upwardly from thefan housing 104. The handle 106 allows the user to use both hands tograsp the blower/vacuum 10, wherein one hand can grasp the handle 16 ofthe base and the other hand can grasp the handle 106 of the vacuumhousing 98. When the vacuum housing 98 includes a handle 106, the entirehandle 106 can be integrally formed with one of the first or secondvacuum shells 90, 92, or half of the handle 106 can be integrally formedwith a respective vacuum shell 90, 92 such that when the first andsecond vacuum shells 90, 92 are attached to each other, the handlehalves form a complete handle 106.

The vacuum assembly 34 further includes an optional collection bag 96,which is attachable to the outlet 102 of the vacuum housing 98, as shownin FIGS. 2 and 4. The collection bag 96 includes a port that isconfigured to engage the outlet 102 by a friction fit. The collectionbag 96 includes a strap that can be positioned over the shoulder of theoperator, which allows the weight of the debris in the collection bag 96to be carried by the operator's body as opposed to having the entireweight added to the blower/vacuum 10 being carried.

In the illustrated embodiment, assembly of the blower/vacuum 10 in thevacuum configuration 10 b includes attaching the first and second vacuumshells 90, 92 together to form the vacuum housing 98. The vacuum housing98 is then attached to the attachment shell 30 of the base 12 using aplurality of attachment mechanisms 82 which connect opposing anchors 84located on both the attachment shell 30 and the vacuum housing 98. Asthe vacuum housing 98 is positioned against the attachment shell 30, thefan assembly 28 is inserted into the opening in the rear wall 112 of thefan housing 104 such that the second fan 48 is positioned within the fanhousing 104 and the rear wall 112 is abutting or positioned immediatelyadjacent to the plate 42 of the fan member 28. Because the rear wall 112of the fan housing 104 either slightly contacts or is positionedimmediately adjacent to the plate 42 of the fan member 28 such that thesecond fan 48 is located within the fan housing 104, the first fan 44 iseffectively deactivated as air flow caused by rotation of the first fanblades 46 is blocked by the rear wall 112 of the fan housing 104. Assuch, only the second fan blades 50 of the second fan 48 are active inthe vacuum configuration 10 b. The vacuum tube 94 and collection bag 96can then be attached to the vacuum housing 98.

In operation, the throttle 18 of the base 12 controls the outputrotational speed from the power source 22 that rotates the drive shaft26 which, in turn, rotates the fan member 28. As the second fan blades50 of the fan member 28 are active within the fan housing 104 in thevacuum configuration 10 b, rotation of the second fan 48 generates anegative-pressure air flow which creates a suction with draws air intothe fan housing 104 through the inlet 100 (via the vacuum tube 94). Theair flow and any debris that is drawn into the fan housing 104 are thenejected out through the outlet 102 via centrifugal air flow generated bythe second fan 48 of the fan member 28. While the debris is within thefan housing 104, the rotation of the second fan 48 acts to crush,pulverize, or otherwise break up at least some of the debris intosmaller particles. As the rotational output of the power source 22 isincreased in response to the throttle 18, the velocity of the air flowthrough the vacuum assembly 34 increases, and vice-versa with respect tothe velocity of the air flow.

The exemplary embodiment of the combined blower/vacuum 10 describedabove utilizes a single fan member 28 that integrates both a first fan44 and a second fan 48, wherein each fan is configured to generateeither a positive-pressure or negative-pressure air flow. Theblower/vacuum 10 is adapted to receive a blower assembly 32 that coversor hides the second fan 48 in a blower configuration 10 a to effectivelydeactivate the second fan 48 which allows the first fan 44 to generatethe positive-pressure air flow through the blower assembly 32. Theblower/vacuum 10 is also adapted to receive a vacuum assembly 34 thatcovers or otherwise hides the first fan 44 in a vacuum configuration 10b to effectively deactivate the first fan 44 which allows the second fan48 to generate the negative-pressure air flow through the vacuumassembly 34. In the blower and vacuum configurations, the fan member 28generates different types of air flow: axial air flow in the blowerconfiguration and centrifugal air flow in the vacuum configuration.These two separate air flows generated by the same fan member 28 makethe fan member 28 a mixed-flow fan, thereby allowing a single fan member28 to be used in two completely distinct operations in differentconfigurations.

The blower/vacuum 10, when in the blower configuration 10 a as shown inFIG. 5, includes a power source 22 that is configured to super-chargethe velocity of air flow being expelled from the blower assembly 32. Thepower source 22 includes a rearwardly-directed flywheel 120 that ispositioned adjacent to the starter assembly 20 at the rear of the base12. As air is drawing into the housing 14 through rear vents 122, theflywheel 120 directs the air over the engine components for cooling andthen into the blower intake area. The flywheel 120 includes acombination of fan vanes as well as a pair of oppositely-opposedmagnets, wherein the magnets are configured to act in combination withan ignition module that generates a spark for the combustion cylinder.The air from the flywheel 120 that is forced over the power source 22 ismixed and added to the air drawn into the blower intake area through theside vents 124 that are positioned between the power source 22 and thefan member 28. The forced air from the flywheel 120 results in increasedair flow velocity produced by the first fan 44 in the blowerconfiguration 10 a, thereby generating a super-charged, or increased airflow. It should be understood that the fan member 28 produces enoughsuction of air from the housing 14 to cool the engine components withoutthe flywheel 120, but the flywheel 120 provides more efficient and morepowerful blowing when a flywheel 120 is used. The flywheel 120positioned at the rear of the base 12 for generating cooling airflowover the engine also improves the performance of the engine as comparedto the performance of the engine relying solely upon the fan member 28creating air flow over the engine or the flywheel positioned at thefront of the engine (between the engine and the fan member 28).

In another embodiment, the combined blower and vacuum 10 is either adedicated blower 110 (FIG. 9) or a dedicated vacuum 210 (FIG. 10),wherein the dedicated blower 110 and dedicated vacuum 210 are notinterchangeable between operations or configurations. The dedicatedblower 110 includes substantially the same components as theblower/vacuum 10, such as a base 112, a drive shaft (not shown), anattachment shell 130, a fan member 128, and blower assembly 132. The fanmember 128 of the dedicated blower 110 includes only the first fan 144but not the second fan 48 (FIG. 6), because the second fan 48 wouldnever be utilized in the dedicated blower 110. In the illustratedembodiment, the first fan 144 of the dedicated blower 110 is amixed-flow fan. However, it should be understood by one having ordinaryskill in the art that the fan member 128 may also be formed to includeboth the first fan 144 as well as the second fan 48. The blower assembly132 of the dedicated blower 110 remains removably attachable to theattachment shell 130 to allow the user to access the fan member 128 andother components for cleaning and general maintenance.

FIGS. 11A-11C illustrate an embodiment of the fan member 128 for adedicated blower 110. The illustrated embodiment of the fan member 128includes only the first fan 144, but it should be understood by onehaving ordinary skill in the art that a fan member 128 having both thefirst and second fan 144, 48 can be used. The first fan 144 isconfigured as a mixed-flow fan in which the first fan blades 146 extendradially outward from the base 140, wherein the first fan blades 146extend outwardly beyond the circumferential outer edge of thefrustoconical surface 141 in a cantilevered manner. In the illustratedexemplary embodiment, the first fan blades 146 are angled or curvedrelative to the central hub 140. In other words, the first fan blades146 do not extend radially outward from the central hub 140 in a linearmanner. As the first fan blades 146 extend from the central hub 140, thefirst fan blades 146 continually curve. In one embodiment, the curvatureof the first fan blades 146 is in the direction of rotation when the fanmember 128 is rotated. In another embodiment, the curvature of the firstfan blades 146 is in the opposite direction of rotation when the fanmember 128 is rotated. In addition to the curvature of the first fanblades 146 in the radial direction, the first fan blades 146 are alsoangled with respect to the frustoconical surface 141. It should beunderstood by one having ordinary skill in the art that the first fanblades 146 can be planar, curved, a combination thereof, or have anyshape sufficient to provide increased air flow resulting from therotation of the fan member 128, wherein the air flow generated by thefirst fan blades 146 is substantially parallel to the drive shaft 26(FIG. 5).

The dedicated vacuum 210, as shown in FIG. 10, includes substantiallythe same components as the blower/vacuum 10, such as a base 212, a driveshaft (not shown), an attachment shell 230, and a vacuum assembly 234.The fan member 228 of the dedicated vacuum 210 includes only the secondfan 248 but not the first fan 44 (FIG. 6), because the first fan 44would never be utilized in the dedicated vacuum 210. However, it shouldbe understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that the fanmember 228 may also be formed to include both the first fan 44 as wellas the second fan 248. The vacuum assembly 234 of the dedicated vacuum210 remains removably attached to the attachment shell 230 to allow theuser to access the fan member 228 and other components for cleaning andgeneral maintenance.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed, it should be understood that the present invention is not solimited and modifications may be made without departing from the presentinvention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appendedclaims, and all devices, processes, and methods that come within themeaning of the claims, either literally or by equivalence, are intendedto be embraced therein.

1.-14. (canceled)
 15. A blower comprising: a base having a housing, a handle attached to said housing, and power source positioned within said housing, and a transparent attachment shell releasably attached to said housing, said power source having a drive shaft extending from and rotatable by said power source; a fan member attached to said drive shaft, said fan member positioned within said attachment shell; and a blower assembly releasably attached to said base, said blower assembly having a transparent blower housing, a blower tube attached to said blower housing, and a diffuser positioned at least partially within said blower housing.
 16. The blower of claim 15, wherein said fan member is a mixed-flow fan having a first fan integrally connected to a second fan.
 17. The blower of claim 16, wherein said first fan is an axial fan and second fan is a centrifugal fan.
 18. The blower of claim 15, wherein said fan member is completely surrounded by said attachment shell.
 19. The blower of claim 15, wherein said diffuser is formed as a cone having an open end, a platform extending radially outward from said open end, and a plurality of vanes extending axially from said platform along an outer surface of said cone.
 20. The blower of claim 19, wherein said platform is formed as an annular ring connected to said cone by a plurality of spaced apart ribs, said ribs form air flow pathways between said annular ring and said cone.
 21. The blower of claim 20, wherein said fan member is positioned immediately adjacent to said open end of said diffuser.
 22. The blower of claim 15, wherein power source includes a flywheel positioned adjacent to a rear end of said housing, said flywheel generating air flow from said rear end of said housing toward said attachment shell for cooling said power source.
 23. A blower comprising: a base having a housing, a handle attached to said housing, and power source positioned within said housing, and a transparent attachment shell releasably attached to said housing, said power source having a drive shaft extending forwardly toward said attachment shell and a flywheel extending rearwardly toward a rear end of said housing, wherein rotation of said flywheel generates a first air flow velocity; a fan member attached to said drive shaft, said fan member positioned completely within said attachment shell, wherein rotation of said fan member generates a second air flow velocity; and a blower assembly releasably attached to said base, said blower assembly having a transparent blower housing, a blower tube attached to said blower housing, and a diffuser positioned at least partially within said blower housing; wherein said rotation of said flywheel generates air flow from said rear end of said housing toward said fan member, and said first air flow velocity generated by said flywheel boosts said second air flow velocity that results in an increased air flow velocity through said blower assembly.
 24. The blower of claim 23, wherein said fan member is an axial fan.
 25. The blower of claim 23, wherein air flow generated by said flywheel passes over said power source for cooling said power source.
 26. The blower of claim 23, wherein said attachment shell includes a first attachment mechanism and said blower housing includes a second attachment mechanism, said first attachment mechanism being attachable to said second attachment mechanism for releasably connecting said blower assembly to said base.
 27. The blower of claim 23, wherein said flywheel is positioned immediately adjacent to said rear end of said housing.
 28. The blower of claim 23, wherein said power source is an internal combustion engine. 